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The 2011 London Bird Report is now out - to get a copy please click here. 'Friday 14th March 2014' ' ' ' ' *Roehampton: Clarence lane and Priory Lane Grey Wagtail singing and displaying for last two weeks on top of school building (D Benton) *Brookmill Park: Great Spotted Woodpecker, singing Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam) Volunteers have started clearing brambles in the park despite my explaining to them last year that some birds are nesting in March. I was particularly annoyed because they destroyed a Long-tailed Tit's nest. Isn't that a criminal offence? Only if they knew it was there. Conrad','' any chance you can let us know the group responsible - maybe some polite, informative emails might help? (JB) ''I believe you are correct and maybe your local / regional wildlife liason officre (police) can help to enforce law in this situation. I've challenged Woodland Trust / Natural England (as was) on this matter in the past, but on reflection should have contacted the relevant law enforcment agency.''Not sure, I thought it was a group called 3 rivers clean up and tweeted them a couple of weeks ago. 2 years ago I saw the group working and stopped them before they cleared the brambles where the tits were nesting. Last year I missed my chance and they removed the scrub where I had seen the birds with nest material. A week later I met the group leader and told her that they had destroyed a nest and that they shouldn't be clearing brambles in March. *Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Blackcap, 2 Rock Pipit, Green Sandpiper, 2 Kingfisher, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 54 Fieldfare. (Kev Jarvis) *Eltham Palace, Eltham: Chiffchaff (Peter Charles) *Ladywell Fields: Nuthatch, singing Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush *London Wetland Centre: 7 Redshank, 2 Shelduck, Brambling, 6 Cetti's Warbler (WWT website) *Mayflower Park: singing Blackcap(Bob Smith) *Tarn Park, Mottingham: '''Northern Wheatear 1030 - on adjacent golf course, m Blackcap (Peter Charles) *Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: 4 singing Chiffchaff, Fieldfare, still c170 Common Gull, 5 Lapwing, male Kestrel, 7 Teal (John Colmans) *Wanstead Flats: 3 singing Chiffchaff, 3-4 singing Meadow Pipit, 5 singing Skylark, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, 5 Reed Bunting, 5 Little Grebe (including the first on Angel pond), 3 Shoveler, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Tim Harris) *Wanstead Park: 4 singing Chiffchaff, singing Blackcap, Lesser Redpoll, Little Egret, 3 Kingfisher, Water Rail, Redwing, Grey Wagtail (Nick Croft/Tim Harris) *Wormwood Scrubs: 1 Common Buzzard north at 0640 plus c20 Redwing, 2 Jackdaw, 4 Jay, c25 Greenfinch & c10 Meadow Pipit including 1 singer. (The Scrubbers) 'Thursday 13th March 2014' *Banstead: Red Kite E at 13.25hrs (Steve Gale) *Blackheath Dips: Chiffchaff, 7 Greenfinch (Joe Beale). *Bow Creek: Kingfisher, Kestrel, 2 Common Sandpiper, 3 Redshank, Shelduck, 16 Teal, Reed Bunting m (John Archer) *Brent Reservoir: male Wheatear on playing fields, 3 Chiffchaff (2 singing), Redshank, 23 Snipe, Water Rail (Brent Birders) *Coppetts Wood: Eastern Rosella - escapee (James Palmer) *Crossness: Greenshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, Rock Pipit, 4 Oystercatcher, Curlew (Kev Jarvis) *East India Dock Basin: Cormorant - the Estonian-ringed bird again on the pier, 15 Tufted Duck, 10 Teal, Grey Wagtail (John Archer) *Enfield Town (St Andrew's Church): singing male Blackcap in churchyard 13:30 hrs (Robert Callf). *Ewell Village: singing Blackcap in Cheam Road (Neil Batten) *Finsbury Park: Buzzard NE at 18.00 (ASmith) *Greenwich Park: 5 Meadow Pipits N ish late morning, 13 Black-headed Gulls N (Joe Beale) *Hatch End Playing Fields: Grey Wagtail along the River Pinn (Jon Ridge). *Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens: Goldcrest flitting in trees by bridge Kensington Gardens side (Sue Barry) *KGV Reservoir: Little Egret, 45 Goldeneye, 20 Wigeon, 17 Goosander, male Wheatear (Neville Smith). *London Wetland Centre: 2 Shelduck, 2 Green Sandpiper, 4 Redshank, 8 Snipe (WWT website) *Margravine Cemetery: Redwing, Mistle Thrush, third egg for pr Peregrine Falcon (public site) (Nathalie Mahieu). *Morden Cemetery: singing Chiffchaff (Bob Smith) *Mudchute Park: 5 Monk Parakeet, Chiffchaff (non singing), Grey Wagtail over (Stuart Fisher) *Pinner Park Farm: 2 Red-legged Partridge (first record for ten years), male Pheasant, Common Buzzards, male Kestrel, 5 Teal over, 2 Little Owl, 2 Little Egret, 8 Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 6 Meadow Pipit NW, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Stock Dove & 9 Goldfinch. Also a male Brimstone butterfly (Jon Ridge). *Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: f Wigeon off Heron_Is area 8 then over and ad Yellow-legged Gull a8 then SW site yr-1st's - most wintering ducks & gulls left this wk, Woodcock Leaf Yd Wd bdr a41, Blackcap singing since 8 Mar Deadmans Cnr a34 but visiting fdrs, 3 Redwing (birdman_euston) *Staines Moor: Jack Snipe, 3 Water Pipit and 2 Egyptian Geese (C.Lamsdell) *Sutcliffe Park: Fieldfare between river & athletics track - flew off over river 1030 (Peter Charles); presumably same bird along river at 15h; also Grey Heron, Little Grebe, Common Snipe (James Lowen); 2 Common Snipe, 2 Redwing, singing Reed Bunting - 08.00 (Conrad Ellam) People may not be aware of proposed development of new sports facilities in park. Although not encroaching on LNR it is adjacent and locals are concerned about impact on park and LNR. Full details of plans and how to object can be accessed through Friends of Sutcliffe Park Facebook page PC. *The Tarn, Mottingham: Blackcap, 2 Redwing (Conrad Ellam) DT 'The Tarn' is official Greenwich LBC site name cf Tarn Park b_e *Trafalgar Square: 4 Kestrel circling over square 1647-1705, Peregrine through briefly at 1650 (Peter Beckenham) *Tyttenhanger GP: 2 Oystercatcher, 3 Redshank, 14 Common Snipe, c30 Lapwing, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel (Steve Blake) *Wanstead Flats: 2 Teal pr, 30 Tufted Duck, 4 Shoveler, 4 Little Grebe, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Linnet, 6 Skylark, 7 Meadow Pipit, 3 singing Chiffchaff ("Foggy" Bob Vaughan/Nick "misty" Croft) *Wanstead Park: 2 Kingfisher, 2 Pochard, Great Crested Grebe (Bob Vaughan) *Wormwood Scrubs: drake Shoveler over - 3rd ever record!, also 4 Redwing NE, female Reed Bunting (David Lindo, Nick Prentice & Paul Thomas) 'Wednesday 12th March 2014' *Alexandra Park: 2 Common Buzzard (Dave Callahan). *Banstead: 4 Common Buzzard E at 14.00hrs (Steve Gale) *Brent Reservoir: singing Chiffchaff Field Studies Centre, Mistle Thrush sitting on nest Churchyard (Harry Mackie per Roy Beddard) *Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Sparrowhawk, 2 Redwing, Chiffchaff, 7 House Sparrow; Comma (Conrad Ellam) *Crayford Marshes: female Marsh Harrier, Little Owl, Spotted Redshank, Green Sandpiper, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Oystercatcher (Kev Jarvis) *East India Dock Basin: 78 Teal, 11 Tufted Duck (John Archer) *Grovelands Park: red-head Smew of unknown origin early afternoon still on boating lake - showing down to a few metres from pebbled section of path (Katy McGilvray) *Hampstead Heath: Woodcock -presumably flushed- flew towards transmitter just before midday from P Hill, also 10 Meadow Pipits N, 5 Pied Wagtails N, 9 Shoveler on Highgate 1, 2 Redpolls feeding near 'ploughed field', Linnet N, 5 Redwings all points, Kingfisher at Sanctuary pond (Pete Mantle) *Headstone Moat: Sparrowhawk, 2 Goldcrest, Green Woopecker & 7 Jackdaw (Jon Ridge). *Heathrow Airport: Yellow-legged Gull (Adam Cheeseman) *Kensington Gardens: lunchtime - despite hordes of people out enjoying the spring sunshine one of the Tawny Owls gave great views in usual tree, 2 Treecreeper pr in same tree hunting insects, 2 Long-tailed Tits pr still nest building; Comma butterfly sunning itself in flower bed north of Albert memorial statue (Martin Honey); 2 Little Owls in oak tree 30 ft south of intersection of bicycle path & path leading from Kensington High Street to Serpentine Bridge -- this is a different pair from the usual ones near the leaf yard (Ralph Hancock) *London Wetland Centre: 33 Wigeon, 4 Redshank, 3 Snipe, Mediterranean Gull still, 2 Chiffchaff (WWT website) *Mayflower Park: singing Blackcap, Little Grebe, 2 Reed Bunting pr (Bob Smith) *Pinner Park Farm: Common Buzzard alighted a large Oak briefly at 14:15, 2 Little Egret, male Pheasant, singing Chiffchaff, Meadow Pipit, 8 Redwing, 7 Fieldfare, 9 Jackdaw, 2 Jay, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Grey Wagtail, Long-tailed Tit & 7 Stock Dove (Jon Ridge). *Rainham RSPB: Ruff, 2 Curlew, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, Ringed Plover, Blackcap and 28 Little Egrets (Dave Morrison) *Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: Chiffchaff Leaf Yd Wd area 40, 2 Blackcap m f a34&40, 14 Redwing a40, Pied Wagtail NW, 71 Chaffinch incl 42 NE 0630-0750 (birdman_euston) *Richmond Park: 3 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker -Thatched House Lodge area (M.Lewis) [Where is Thatched House Lodge - not shown on park map. Thanks, D Palmer. 500m N of Kingston Gate], Red Kite 13.00, 2 Buzzard - one N & one poss'y local, Grey Heron - 3 young in 1st nest (J.Wilczur). What sex were the woodpeckers? Thank you JH. *Totteridge Valley: Osprey yr-1st over Woodside Park 12:01-12:03 gliding slowly N towards Totteridge, 2 Kingfishers pr along Folly Brook, 2 Red-legged Partridge, 2 Pheasant, 3 Little Owl, 11 Lapwing, 14 Teal, 4 Mandarin, 9 Meadow Pipit, 20+ Fieldfare, 60+ Redwing, 6 Rook, Pipistrelle sp (Ian Ellis) *Trent Park: 5 Common Buzzard over Nature Trail 12:20hrs (Robert Callf). *Wanstead Flats: 4-5 Chiffchaff singing, 6 singing Skylark, 14 Meadow Pipit (4 singing), Pied Wagtail, 4 Reed Bunting, Linnet, 4 Little Grebe, 3 Shoveler, 20 Tufted Duck, 4 Redwing, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Tim Harris) *Wanstead Park: 16 Lesser Redpoll behind tea hut (Dan Hennessy), singing Blackcap in Bush Wood (Tim Harris) *Worcester Park: Green Sandpiper, singing Blackcap Green Lane (Bob Smith) *Wormwood Scrubs: Stonechat, up to 5 displaying Meadow Pipit, 2 Redwing; Small Tortoiseshell (Paul Anderson & Charlie Farrell); Whinchat yr- 1st (James Palmer) I'm not doubting the record but isn't this a very early, unusual sighting? Honey - It has happened before (March 9th), if I remember correctly & about ten years ago, two Whinchats over-wintered at Taplow in Berkshire - slightly outside the London recording area JR. Very likely to have been the Stonechat. I saw the photograph and it's a female that quite possibly be confused for a Whinchat at a distance Lindo I was aware of the very early date and the possibility of confusion with Stonechat so I took the trouble to have prolonged views - it was definitely a Whinchat - nice peachy breast, white wing patches and a clear broad cream supercilium (James Palmer). Thx for details JP & congrats - not disputing but were you also able to see diagnostic white at base of tail? b_e. Fantastic! (David Lindo) 'Tuesday 11th March 2014' *Alexandra Park: 2 Shoveler pr Wood Green Res, 8 Redwing (Bob Watts). *Beddington SF: Northern Wheatear yr-1st reported 0730 (BirdGuides) *Battersea Park: 2 Red-crested Pochards pr (though feral not resident), 2 Great Crested Grebe pr on nest showing egg, Grey Herons - c3 nests with calling young & 2 new nests being built, 2 Egyptian Geese pr, Ring-necked Parakeet going in old woodpecker hole (Michael Mac). *Black Park: 5 Crossbill, 4 Mandarin (C Lamsdell) *Blackheath: Redwing at dawn, 2 Blackcap (James Lowen) *Brent Reservoir: singing Chiffchaff Field Studies Centre (Harry Mackie per Roy Beddard) *Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Yellow-legged Gull, Kingfisher, Redwing (Conrad Ellam) *Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 4 Rock Pipit, 3 Corn Bunting, 2 Yellow-legged Gull (1st-winter & 2nd-winter), Kingfisher, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Little Egret, 2 Oystercatcher (Kev Jarvis) *Danson Park: 4 Egyptian Goose 2pr (2 recently hatched young), Water Rail, 3 Common Gull, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Stock Dove, 18 Robin, 9 Redwing, Mistle Thrush and Blackbird with nest material (Ralph Todd) *East India Dock Basin: Grey Wagtail, 11 Tufted Duck, c100 Teal, 6 Linnet, 9 Redshank on Bow Creek roost (Paul Hyland). *Greenwich Park: singing Redwing (James Lowen) *Grovelands Park: female Smew 16:30hrs, 2 Great Crested Grebe pr, 2 Mute Swan pr, 3 Egyptian Goose, 7 Mandarin Duck 5m 2f, 3 Pochard 2m f, 18 Tufted Duck 10m 8f, 5+ Stock Dove, 2 Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail, Song Thrush, 26 Redwing Pitch & Putt, singing Mistle Thrush, 2 Nuthatch, Treecreeper (Robert Callf). *Hampstead Heath: Chiffchaff (David Matthews); Water Rail Viaduct Pond (M.Hill with MBS group) *Harrow (Brook Drive): pair of Grey Wagtail along drainage channel (Jon Ridge). *Lee Valley Riding Centre: 13 Linnet (James Palmer) DT - official site name for RC cf 'Lea Br Rd' b_e *Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: singing Grey Wagtail, 15+ Redwing, 6 Shoveler, 58 Tufted Duck, Kingfisher, Nuthatch, Stock Dove, 10 Ring-necked Parakeet, singing Goldcrest, Coal Tit (Stuart Fisher) *Little Britain Iver/Cowley: 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldfinch, 2 Siskins, 2 Egyptian Geese, 15 Greylags, 20+ Redwing, Fieldfare, Goldcrest, Mistle Thrush, Chaffinch, Red Kite over, Great Crested Grebe, 7 Gadwall; Muntjac near canal (Sue Giddens) *London Wetland Centre: 2 Shelduck, 6+ Redshank, Mediterranean Gull, 2 drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bearded Tit, Pheasant, 39 Redwing W/NE, Grey Wagtail, 2 Chiffchaff (WWT website) The Med Gull shows some black on P9, P8 and a very small amount on P7. The hood and bare parts look very adult like, so I'd guess this bird is moulting into third summer, although I suppose a very advanced second summer isn't impossible. I have some pics I'll post shortly Palmer. *Lonsdale Road Reservoir: Water Rail - only my 2nd for the site (Rich Petley) *Margravine Cemetery: 2 Coal Tit (pr nest prospecting), 2nd egg for pr Peregrine Falcon on hospital (public site) (Nathalie Mahieu). *Mayflower Park: Buzzard E (Bob Smith); f Reed Bunting in reedbed (Simon Osborn) *Middlesex Filter Beds: 2 Kingfisher pr (James Palmer) *Pinner (Marsh Road): Grey Wagtail along River Pinn (Jon Ridge). *Pinner Park Farm: Red Kite '''N at 15:05, Kestrel, male Pheasant, Little Grebe, Little Owl, 8 Snipe, 31 Meadow Pipit, 11 Jackdaw, 32 Redwing, 24 Fieldfare, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker & 5 Goldfinch (Jon Ridge). *Rainham RSPB: 2m Ruff scrape early am (RSPB blog) *Richmond Park: '''Lesser Spotted Woodpecker -Ham Cross Plantation, 2 Stonechat pr -Pond Slade (M.Lewis). *Twickenham Riverside: 11 Red-crested Pochard 8m 3f (Bill Budd) *Victoria Park: 2 Red-crested Pochard pr (James Palmer); 2 Little Grebe pr West Lake (Bob Watts). *Walthamstow Reservoirs: High Maynard - Rock Pipit (KJMcmanus) *Walthamstow Forest: Chiffchaff h singing (D.Briggs) *Wanstead Flats: 4-5 singing Chiffchaff, 11 Linnet, 5-6 Reed Bunting, 10+ Meadow Pipit, 7 Skylark, 25+ Redwing, 35 Tufted Duck, 6 Shoveler, 2 Teal pr, 6 Little Grebe, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan) *Wanstead Park: 16 Lesser Redpoll (& 2-3 possible Mealy), 3 Little Egret, 3 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 6 Shoveler, Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, 30+ Redwing (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan/Dan Hennessy) *Waterworks NR: Cetti's Warbler calling (James Palmer) *Wormwood Scrubs: 4 Redwing N, c10 Meadow Pipit incl 1 singer, 3 Common Gull, c300 Rose-ringed Parakeet, c8 House Sparrow (David Lindo & Roy Nuttall) 'Monday 10th March 2014' *Alexandra Park: Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming near Muswell Hill entrance 11.00 (Brian Price); Chiffchaff singing Conservation Area, Meadow Pipit N 7am (Bob Watts). *Blackheath: 1 Redwing at dawn, 2 Blackcap (James Lowen) *Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Redwing, 2 House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam) *Bow Creek: 3 Redshank (James Palmer) *Buckhurst Hill: m Lesser Spotted Woodpecker feeding in back garden am (I Lycett) *Bushy Park: 2 Chiffchaffs, 36 Redwings (Tony Duckett). *Camden N1C 4BE (Canal Reach): 8-10 Jackdaw 0740-0810 rendezvous on hi-rise roof - cf c70 on 26 Feb (birdman_euston) *Crayford Marshes: 1st-winter Caspian Gull, Spotted Redshank, 8 Corn Bunting, Green Sandpiper, 8 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Little Egret, Kingfisher, 4 Oystercatcher (Kev Jarvis) *Croydon: Park Lane derelict office buildings - m Sparrowhawk, 2 Peregrine pr (with a very noisy food exchange & prey feathers flying from plucking) (Tony Kennelly) *Deptford: Peregrine soaring high over Stn early pm (Patrick English). *East India Dock Basin: 2 Greylag Goose, 100 Teal, 27 Tufted Duck, 10 Goldfinch, 5 Linnet (James Palmer) *Gallions Reach: Little Grebe, 2 Oystercatcher, 14 Redshank, 2 Stock Dove (James Palmer) *Kensal Green Cemetery and St Mary’s Cemetery: c8 Fieldfare, c20 Linnet, 3+ Meadow Pipit (Charlie Farrell) *Kensington Gardens: lunchtime - no sign of either owl sp but 2 Nuthatch pr being fed near leaf yard, 2 Long-tailed Tit pr with half-completed nest (Martin Honey) *London Wetland Centre: Mediterranean Gull ad still present on main lake am, 3 Redshank, 26 Lapwing, 3 Chiffchaff, 8 Redwing (Adam Salmon); 6 Redshank mid am, 9 Snipe, 36 Wigeon (Matt Palmer) *Margravine Cemetery: m House Sparrow (Nathalie Mahieu). *Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest showing well by canal entrance, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Little Grebes (Sue Barry); 2 Kingfisher pair performing display flight, 3 Grey Wagtail, 2 Jay (Jonathan Nasir) *Mudchute Farm: 4 Monk Parakeet (Stuart Fisher) *Pinner: Starling with ring on leg has returned to garden for the 3rd successive year. Curious to where it was rung (Richard Francis). Richard has it got colour rings if so what combination as up until 2011 we were colour ringing starlings in Surrey but ironically only 2 sightings since out of over 300 ringed Nicholson-Ross Ans: The starling has only a single metal ring. Its odds on to be nesting in the roof of a nearby building. Its the second starling with a ring on its leg I've found. The other nested for two years in a building at northwick Park hospital. It could be caught. Spends half the time hanging on a bird feeder out the back. (RF) *Pinner Park Farm: Red Kite NE at 14:25, 2 Common Buzzard (one calling) at 13:45, 3 Little Egret, 153 Redwing, 54 Fieldfare, 15 Jackdaw, Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Meadow Pipit, Grey Heron (Jon Ridge). *Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 58 Pochard and 140 Tufted Duck (cf 125 & 225 on 5 Mar), 5 Little Grebe pr bldg nest in reedbed opp Goose Pen area 33, Red Kite yr-1st NE 1140, 4 Kestrel, 3 Common Gull (18 on 8 Mar), 210 Black-headed Gull (450 on 5 Mar), c300 Woodpigeon N, 3m Blackcap, 6 Fieldfare NE 0650, 28 Redwing incl 12 NE 0705, 3 Pied Wagtail over, 58 Chaffinch incl 38 N/NW - first signif't if modest passerine spring vismig here 0640-0840 (birdman_euston) *Stanmore Place: Buzzard over mobbed by 2 Crows (Neil Anderson) *Swanscombe Marsh: 2 Ravens '''on pylon, 1 of which mobbed a passing Common Buzzard, Yellowhammer, Rock Pipit, Curlew, 7 Turnstone, 8 Cetti's Warblers singing, 3 Stonechat, 3 Chiffchaff (Andrew Self) *Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park: 4 Redwings - totally lacking through the winter so presumably migrating birds (Bob Watts). *Town Park, Enfield: female '''Smew Carr's Basin 16:40 hrs - presumably the same escaped tame bird which has frequented Alexandra Park & Grovelands Park (Robert Callf). *Wanstead Flats: 2 Rook patch tick (NC), 25+ Redwing, 2 Fieldfare, 5-6 singing Chiffchaff, c20 Chaffinch N, 9 Linnet, 6 singing Skylark, 10 Meadow Pipit 2 singing & 8 others, 25 Tufted Duck, 3 Shoveler, 3 Little Grebe, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, c100 Woodpigeon N, 6 Stock Dove (Wanstead Birders) *Woodside Park: 1+ Kingfisher along Dollis Brook am (Ian Ellis). 'Sunday 9th March 2014' *Banstead Woods: male Firecrest near Piddly Pond pm (Paul Goodman et al). *Beckenham: garden - Blackcap singing, Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming, Green Woodpecker; Comma and Peacock butterflies (Bob Beaumont) *Brent Reservoir: 29 Snipe, Reed Bunting, Little Egret, Water Rail; also Brimstone and Peacock butterflies (Brent Birders). *Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Mistle Thrush (Conrad Ellam) *Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 2 Corn Bunting, 8 Cetti's Warbler, Green Sandpiper, 3 Oystercatcher, 2 Chiffchaff, Curlew, 48 Fieldfare (Kev Jarvis) *Crossness: Garganey f at sewage outfall, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, 3 Curlew, 3 Oystercatcher, 15 Shoveler, 21 Wigeon (John Archer). *Fortis Green: 4 Mealy Redpolls (2 photographed) and c20 Lesser Redpolls in garden - one Mealy had BTO ring & 2 Lessers with rings (Henry Wyn-Jones). TQ280896 *Greenwich Peninsula: 2 Shelduck, Kestrel, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Meadow Pipit, 3 Linnet (Richard Green) *Hackney Downs Park: 135 Common Gull, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker (Jonathan Nasir) *Hampstead Heath: Water Rail showing well at Viaduct Pond, 2 Chiffchaff 1 in Pryors Field & 1 singing at Vale of Heath, where also Peregrine over at 12:20, 13 Shoveler, 2 Kingfisher, Wood Duck of unknown origin on Wood Pond Kenwood, where also 2 Little Grebe; also Comma, Peacock and Brimstone (Frank Nugent). *Hanwell: 2 Coal Tit actively feeding unusually in my back garden (Rob Mills) *Harrow: Brimstone butterfly (Shailesh Patel). *Headstone Moat: 2 Green Woodpecker pr in courtship 'dance' (Jon Ridge). *High Elms CP: Buzzard soaring & calling eventally landing on top of conifer, Tawny Owl calling 13:00, 6+ Nuthatch calling (Ray Tuck) *Holmethorpe SPs: 2 Little Grebe on Mercers Lake; Brimstone, 3 Tortoiseshell (A La Pietra) *Ilford: garden - Blackcap singing (Barbara Miller) *London Wetland Centre: Mediterranean Gull adult, 36 Wigeon, 4 Redshank, 9 Snipe, 6 Reed Bunting, 3 Chiffchaff, Siskin, 2 Redpoll (Adam Salmon); 6 singing Cetti's Warbler (one displaying to female), Brambling (seen by feeders); also Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone butterflies (Martin Honey) *Lonsdale Road Reservoir: Tawny Owl, 9 Shoveler, 7 Pochard, 16 Teal, 2 Mistle Thrush, 8 Redwing, 2 Greenfinch (John Gordon) *Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest, Kingfisher, Red Kite S, Chiffchaff; Peacock, Comma, Tortoiseshell, Brimstone (Susan Huckle) *Motspur Park: f Ring Ouzel yr-1st on playing fields early morning but flew off W (S. Haslem) Where was this -it's my local patch Smith Noticed it in the tall trees directly behind Marina Avenue first then flew towards the playground in the park but flew off (S Haslem) *Pinner Park Farm: 3 Little Egret, male Pheasant, singing Skylark, Cormorant over, 26 Jackdaw, 34 Fieldfare, 7 Redwing, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Coal Tit, 5 Stock Dove, Grey Heron; Peacock and 6 Small Tortoiseshell butterflies (Jon Ridge). *Richmond Park: m Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and singing Chiffchaff in Prince Charles Spinney; 4+ Brimstone, 4+ Peacock (Steve Woolfenden) *Ruislip Woods: 2 Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, f Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, 7 Nuthatch (1 plastering nest cavity); Grass Snake, 5 Brimstone, 4 Peacock, 3 Comma, Small Tortoiseshell (Neil Anderson) *Ten Acre Wood area: 2 Sparrowhawk one with prey, Buzzard, Lapwing, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Stock Dove, Kingfisher, Redwing (Nigel Dodd) *Thorney CP: Bullfinch m, Jay, Sparrowhawk over, 2 Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Siskins; also 2 Comma, Brimstone, 2 Peacocks (Sue Giddens) *Totteridge Valley/Darlands Lake: Chiffchaff, 2 Treecreeper pr, 2 Kestrel pr, 2 Buzzard, 3 Redwing, Fieldfare, 8 Teal, drake Mandarin; also Small Tortoiseshell (John Colmans) *Trent Park: 5 Common Buzzard; Brimstone, 3 Comma, Red Admiral (Pete Lowman). *Twickenham: Buzzard being mobbed by single j'ckdaw, Red-crested Pochard on Thames by Marble Hill Park (Tom Gillard) *Walthamstow Marshes: nr Riding School - Redwing (David Collins) *Walthamstow Reservoirs: singing Cetti's Warbler, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll over, fem Stonechat (W Warwick), Water Rail, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, 2 Kingfisher, 12+ Goldeneye, 19 Fieldfare, c30 Shelduck, 20+ Teal, 7 Gadwall, 2-3 singing Chiffchaff (Stuart Fisher/Paul Whiteman) *Walthamstow E17 - Garden. Long eared tawny owl. Been here since 8am. is it? Where? And who? *Wanstead Flats: Common Buzzard drifting N, c4 singing Chiffchaff, Skylark, Meadow Pipit; Brimstones (David Lindo, Geoff & Kim Gramlick) *Waterworks NR: singing Cetti's Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, Sparrowhawk; Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell (David Collins) *West Harrow: 1+ Red Kite 1 drifted over to north 11:35 & same or another seen 14:35; also Brimstone, Peacock, unidentified white butterflies seen (Alex Massey) 'Saturday 8th March 2014' *Alexandra Park: 2 Siskin Grove (Henry Wyn-Jones). *Beddington Farmlands: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 0945-1015 after long wait! Only called once, drummed very briefly, good views but mobile - seen from path from Goat Road (F Tusa) *Brent Reservoir: 120+ Tufted Duck, 10 Pochard, Little Egret, Peregrine, Green Sandpiper, 24 Common Snipe, Reed Bunting, singing Blackcap (Roy Beddard, Andrew Self, Andrew Verrall) *Cowley Peachey: Red Kite over High Rd (Roger Dewey) DT - alternate spelling for site list b_e *Crayford Marshes: Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank, 3 Rock Pipit, 7 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Oystercatcher, Curlew, c70 Redshank, c20 Skylark, c34 Meadow Pipit (Kev Jarvis) *Ewell Village: Common Buzzard low N over London Road Rec Gd at mid-day; also 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Neil Batten) *Grovelands Park: any sign of the Smew anyone? Yes it was on the boating lake early evening Thanks Katy, also 15 Redwing and 7 Stock Dove on pitch & putt (Katy McGilvray) *Gutteridge Wood: Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, mixed flock of 200+ Redwing & Fieldfare (G Westley) GW - could you est ea thrush sp sep'y pls? *Hampstead Heath: 7 Shoveler, 2 Kingfisher, 6 Greylag Goose on Boating Pond, drake Pochard (Frank Nugent). *Highams Park: Chiffchaff (Joe Dickens) *Ingrebourne Valley: WeBS Count - 7 Grey Heron (2 nests occupied), 52 Greylag Goose, 54 Canada Goose, 79 Mallard, 88 Coot, 55 Moorhen, 6 Water Rail, 16 Gadwall, 26m Cetti's Warbler, 62 Teal, 8 Little Grebe, 10 Mute Swan, 6 Cormorant, 17 Pochard, 47 Tufted Duck, 80 Black-headed Gull, 7 Common Gull, 2 Herring Gull, 2 Shoveler, Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Lapwing, Little Egret, 3 Red-crested Pochard 2m f, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 5m Chiffchaff, 2m Yellowhammer, 40+ Fieldfare (bottom paddock), 2 Redwing, 2 Jackdaw, Kestrel, Stock Dove - all resident common species singing now - tot 57 spp (Tony Kennelly). *London Wetland Centre: am - adult Mediterranean Gull, 7 Common Snipe, Sparrowhawk, m Kestrel, 2 Pintail pr, m Shelduck, 4 singing Cetti's Warbler, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Redshank, 3-4 singing Reed Bunting (Martin Honey) *Lonsdale Road Reservoir: 2 Egyptian Geese pr, 17 Shoveler, 2 Gadwall pr, 11 Pochard, 3 Stock Dove, 2 Jackdaw pr; 2 Grey Wagtail pr nearby Barnes Bridge (Neil Anderson) *Northolt & Greenford CP: 5 Shoveler, Kestrel, 3 Snipe, Redwing, Reed Bunting, 40+ mating Common Frog (Neil Anderson) *Pinner Park Farm: 4 Little Egret, Little Owl, Common Buzzard over, male Kestrel, 16 Meadow Pipit, 21 Jackdaw, 9 Stock Dove, 26 Fieldfare, 5 Redwing, Green Woodpecker, 2 Grey Heron (Jon Ridge). *Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 17 Shoveler (38 winterers 2days ago - most have prob'y migrated), f Peregrine over QM Gdns area 19 at 1135, 2m Blackcap 1 subsong a1 & 1 at Wetland Pen fdr a32 (birdman_euston) *Richmond Park: Grey Heron- 1st pair have hatched 2 young, 9 singing Skylark recently, singing Chiffchaff, male Stonechat, 5 singing Reed Bunting (H. Bradshaw, J.Wilczur). *Southfields: singing (overwintering) Blackcap, 2 House Sparrow pr at garden feeder (first record for garden) (Martin Honey) *Staines Moor: Short-eared Owl (flew in high from N at c17.55hrs), 2 Water Pipit, 3-5 Goosander (pr landed briefly on Colne/3 flew over/2m c10min later), 8 Lapwing, 2 Buzzard, Cetti's Warbler, 4 Little Egret, c50 Redwing and c50 Fieldfare coming into roost; also 1 small bat probable Pipestrelle sp at 18:20hrs (Jim and Tony Sweetland); 2 Red Kite, Peregrine and 2 Goosander (Andrew Peel, Toni Menezes and Shailesh Patel) Great to hear of a bat record - very rare here Dingain. *Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver and Scaup still (Frank Nugent). *Stockley Park, West Drayton: Skylark singing, Egyptian Goose, Cormorant (Roger Dewey) *Ten Acre Wood area: 8 Lapwing, 6 Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit, Little Egret, Buzzard, 3 Mute Swan, 3 Kestrels, 2 Reed Bunting (G Westley) *Totteridge Valley: female Peregrine over south-east section/Woodside Park 09:25-09:30 then glided off towards Mill Hill East (Ian Ellis). *Trent Park: 7+ Redpoll sp, incl at least two (male & female) showing characteristics of Mealy Redpoll feeding in larches Williams Wood, also 3 Siskin 2m f here, female Bullfinch, 2 singing male Goldcrest (Robert Callf). *Uxbridge: Grey Wagtail R Frays at Hale Hamilton factory (regular nest site) (Roger Dewey) *Vicarage Farm: 2 Little Egret over, 3 Common Snipe (Robert Callf & Robin White). *Walthamstow Reservoirs: singing Cetti's Warbler by bridge, Curlew S calling, Skylark over, 12 Goldeneye, 3 Grey Wagtail, 7 Stock Dove, 2-3 singing Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunting, 2 Kingfisher, Little Egret, 13 Gadwall (Stuart Fisher) *Wanstead Flats: Curlew SSSI 0700 (heard only), 2 Chiffchaffs, Reed Bunting, c6 Linnet and Pied Wagtail police scrape (Bob Vaughan) *West Harrow: Common Buzzard over 16:10 (Alex Massey) 'Friday 7th March 2014' *Beddington Farmlands: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in old oaks at north of site again - seen from footpath between A237 & railway footbridge 09.20 (Paul Sell). Grateful for more precise instructions from Hackbridge Station if local birders have a moment to jot them down MPB From Hackbridge Station go north up the A237 until you pass Mill Green, where Goat Road meets the A237 there is a footpath on the right hand side of the road leading through the wooded area (this is the south side of Mitcham GC). The LSW is seen in the oak trees along this path. I saw it half way down. It would be quicker to get to this path by heading south down the A237 from Mitcham Junction train station Sell This path continues over the footbridge to Beddington Lane tram stop. It's marked as a footpath on the OS map (see Bing maps). There are usually scrambler bikes on the adjacent field at weekends but if you go early you should miss them & have the best chance of connecting with the woodpecker. Hudson *Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Kingfisher, Redwing, House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam) *Crayford Marshes: 1st-winter Caspian Gull, Sand Martin, Spotted Redshank, 2 Corn Bunting, Chiffchaff, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Oystercatcher, Curlew (Kev Jarvis) *Hampstead Heath: 2 Kingfishers pr at sandbank in Bird Sanctuary Pond for second day running (Liz Valentine) *Hyde Park: Grey Wagtail back on territory Dell waterfall (KG&HP Birds blog) *Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: male Firecrest, 30 Redwing, Nuthatch, 8 Shoveler (Stuart Fisher) *London Wetland Centre: 2 Redshank, Brambling (Catherine Beazley); also 3 Redpoll, Redwing, 5+ Snipe (Nick S) full surname pls Nick? Senior? *Putney Lower Common: singing Blackcap (David Wills) *Rammey Marsh: singing Skylark (James Palmer) *Richmond Park: singing Chiffchaff (S.Read); 7 Egyptian Goose pair with 5 young Lower Pen Pond, 4 Grey Wagtail 2 pairs Beverley Brook (M.Lewis); female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker calling & showing well - from Robin Hood gate follow road toward pen ponds carpark - approx half way is a sandy track on the left & bird was in large trees by roadside at 8am, Peregrine over, Little Egret and 2 Mandarin pr on Beverley Brook from Roehampton gate (J.Murray & J.Murray Snr). Hi, whereabouts were the wagtails on the brook? At both ends. (M.Lewis) *Staines Moor: 5 Goosander, 4 Skylark, 34 Fieldfare, 6 Reed Bunting, 2 Little Egret, 13 Meadow Pipit, 7 Lapwing, Little Grebe, 3 Shelduck over, 4 Shoveler over, 7 Redwing, 98 Starling, 3 Linnet (Keith Kerr). *Stoke Newington Res: Peregrine soaring over West Reservoir at midday (Pete Mantle) *Trent Park: singing male Firecrest SW edge of Moat Wood, 2f Siskin Rough Lot, male Bullfinch (Robert Callf). *Twickenham Riverside: 6 Red-crested Pochard 4m 2f (Bill Budd) *Vicarage Farm: 5 Common Snipe - my highest count here since 23rd March 1996 when there were 9, 3+ Skylark incl two singing males, 3 Yellowhammer incl singing male, (Robert Callf); Little Egret over (Robin White). *Wanstead Flats: 2 Pochard pr, 20+ Tufted Duck, Shoveler, 3 trilling Little Grebe, Linnet, 7 Skylark 3 singing & 4 others, 2 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Stock Dove, Sparrowhawk, 5 Redwing (Nick Croft) *Waterworks NR: 40 Teal, 7 Shoveler, 4 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, female Sparrowhawk (Daniel Whitelegg). 'Thursday 6th March 2014' *Beddington Farmlands: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in old oaks at north of site again - seen from footpath between A237 & railway footbridge 7:00-7:50. Quite a show this morning; calling, drumming, 'butterfly dancing' & aggressively chasing away Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Also noticed a ring on the bird. (James Hudson & Nick Gardner) *Bushy Park: Common Buzzard, 11m Skylarks, 220+ Redwings, 2 Mealy Redpolls pr, 14 Lesser Redpolls, 14 Siskins, 11 Reed Buntings (Tony Duckett). *Crayford Marshes: 1st-winter Caspian Gull, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, 2 Corn Bunting, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Green Sandpiper, Curlew (Kev Jarvis). *Golders Green: Song Thrush singing 12.25-12.31am Woodstock Ave during illumination of offensively bright security lights (James Levy). *Hampstead Heath: Little Grebe on Kenwood Lake, Kingfisher on usual stick, mixed spring chorus of Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Starling and Redwing (subsong) along hedge between Highgate Ponds 1 & 2 (Jo Edwards) *Holland Park: Chiffchaff trapped & ringed am - probably 1st of year at this site as I don't think they generally overwinter here (Bill Haines) *Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: singing male Firecrest, singing male Blackcap, singing Nuthatch near Gilberts Slade, 2 Goldcrest, Grey Wagtail, 22 Redwing (many in subsong), Siskin over, 8 Shoveler, 2 Pochard, 2 Egyptian Geese over, 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Green Woodpecker, 5 Stock Dove - 0720-1000 (Stuart Fisher) *London Wetland Centre: Green Sandpiper, 2 Redshank, Brambling (WWT website) *Lordship Rec Grd: Reed Bunting (James Palmer) DT this is correct site name b_e *Muswell Hill N10 (Colney Hatch Ln): Sand Martin over wasteground adjacent to N Circular at 07.10 (Paul Angus) *North Sheen Rec Grd: 2 Blackcaps 7.15am (Peter Hart) *Osterley Park: Chiffchaff, 30 Fieldfare (K.Fisher) *Pinner: male Tawny Owl calling at 19:40 (Jon Ridge). *Rainham RSPB: 2 Kingfisher m digging nest hole (RSPB blog) *Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 52 Egyptian Goose incl 19yg - coming soon to a water-feature nr you, 11+ Mandarin, 20 Grey Heron incl 1st nestling h Bandstand Is area 8 SE tip, Stock Dove and 50 Woodpigeon straggling N 0710-0745 (birdman_euston) *Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver (South Basin), 2 Scaup (1 on N Basin & 1 seen by another observer on S Basin), 10 Goldeneye, 2 Shelduck, Common Buzzard (Steven Robinson) *Tottenham Marshes: Water Rail, Chiffchaff (James Palmer) *Trent Park: singing male Firecrest laurel Rough Lot, 20 Chaffinch, male Bullfinch (Robert Callf); 3 Common Buzzard, Goldcrest, 2 Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker heard drumming & calling Personally not recorded any singing or drumming in Trent Park since 2009 when the last pair attempted to breed Callf Keep your ears open then Robert PL, Green Woodpecker, 4 Song Thrush, 4 Tufted Duck 3m f (Pete Lowman). *Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood- 2 Pintail pr; No1 res- Cetti's Warbler (KJMcmanus & Lol Cumming). *Wanstead Flats: Chiffchaff, 6 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, 6 Skylark, 10 Linnet, Reed Bunting, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Egyptian Goose, Little Grebe, 2 Sparrowhawk pr, Kestrel (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft) 'Wednesday 5th March 2014' *Beddington Farmlands: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in patch of woodland at north of site - seen from footpath between A237 & railway footbridge 7:30 (James Hudson). *Bushy Park: f Lesser Spotted Woodpecker yr-1st Round Plantation am but no drumming heard (Regent's Pk Birds blog) *Crayford Marshes: Raven SW 10:45 (Andy Sayer per Kev Jarvis); Common Buzzard, Spotted Redshank, Little Owl, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 5 Corn Bunting, 2 Rock Pipit, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 6 Oystercatcher, 3 Curlew (Kev Jarvis). *Grovelands Park: red-head Smew of unknown origin still catching fish at end of boating lake nearest to pitch & putt, Firecrest in holly behind ranger's hut, 15 Redwing and Stock Dove on pitch & putt (Katy McGilvray) *Hampstead Heath: 2 Lesser Redpolls Heath Extension, Kingfisher Seven Sisters Pond, m Wood Duck Wood Pond (Klemens Felder) *Kensington Gardens: Round Pond- 43 Egyptian Geese, nearby 4 Mandarin in treetop, near Tawny Owl which showed well, calling Nuthatch, 2 Jackdaw over (Neil Anderson) *Mayflower Park wetlands: Kingfisher (Bob Smith). *North Sheen: Rec Grd - Blackcap singing at 7.10am - first sighting in 5 years (Peter Hart) TQ192760 *Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: Buzzard over 1505, 2 Peregrine, m Blackcap subsong Hill north gate, 30 Redwing (birdman_euston) *Richmond Park: 4 Buzzard (J.Wilczur & S.Read). *South Mimms: Bignell’s Cnr M25/A1 jn - Red Kite drifted S low over rbt at 12:15 (Andrew Haynes). *Streatham Common: Fieldfare, Green Woodpecker, 4 Jackdaw over, 9 Redwing (some singing), 4 Stock Dove (Peter Beckenham) *Thorney CP: Bullfinch m, 2 Redpoll, Siskin, Jay, Mistle Thrush, 2 Chaffinch, 3 Goldfinch, Green Woodpecker, 3 Ring-necked Parakeets, Dunnock, 3 Wrens, Buzzard over (Sue Giddens) *Trent Park:' Firecrest', Common Buzzard, Lesser Redpoll, 2 Treecreeper, 2 Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, 4 Mandarin 3m f, 10 Jackdaw (Pete Lowman). *Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood- 6+ Common Buzzard (KJMcmanus & Lol Cumming); S side- Cetti's Warbler (1 seen/heard singing along channel W of No 1 res), Kingfisher; East Warwick- 8 Goldeneye (2 drakes), 10+ Gadwall, 2 Grey Wagtail pr; No 3 res- 26 Shelduck (Lol Bodini). *Wanstead Flats: 10 Skylark, 5 Meadow Pipit (1 singing), 10 Linnet, 2 Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Fieldfare, 3 Redwing, 4 Shoveler, 2 Stock Dove pr (Nick Croft/Tim Harris). *Wanstead Park: Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, 2+ Lesser Redpoll, Kingfisher, 2 Common Pochard pr, 2 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, 10+ Redwing, 6 Stock Dove (Nick Croft/Tim Harris). *Wimbledon Common: female Stonechat, cock Pheasant (David Wills). *Woodside Park: first Blackcap back on territory, Cormorant over; also Comma and Peacock butterfly (Ian Ellis). 'Tuesday 4th March 2014' *Beddington Farmlands: female Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in old oaks at north of site - seen from footpath between A237 & railway footbridge 7:10-7:30 (James Hudson); 2 Raven (4th record for site), male Mandarin (14th site record), 2 Mediterranean Gull, 10 Common Buzzard (Peter Alfrey, BFBG) pics here *Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Redwing, Song Thrush (Conrad Ellam). *Crayford Marshes: Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 2 Corn Bunting, Spotted Redshank, 2 Rock Pipit, 5 Cetti's Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 48 Fieldfare, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Curlew (Kev Jarvis). *East India Dock Basin/Bow Creek: 3 Shelduck, 24 Tufted Duck, 58 Teal, 3 Redshank (John Archer). *Grovelands Park: red-head Smew still (BirdGuides). *Hampstead Heath: 2 Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher (Dawn Painter). *Kensington Gardens: 2 Buzzard over (KG&HP Birds blog) *Leyton Flats/Snaresbrook: 11 Shoveler, 40 Tufted Duck, Kingfisher, Goldcrest, 2 Mistle Thrush, Grey Wagtail, Redwing, female Kestrel over (Stuart Fisher). *London Wetland Centre: 2 Redshank, 5 Snipe, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 5 Cetti's Warbler all singing (WWT website). *Mayflower Park wetlands: first returning Little Grebe trilling (Bob Smith). *Middlesex Filter Beds: 2 singing Chiffchaff, m Reed Bunting, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Teal pr on river (A Smith) *Redbridge Lakes: Snipe, Song Thrush, 2 Goldfinches (Alan Hobson). *Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: Buzzard soaring high over area 28 at 1255 then gliding NW, 6 Great Black-backed Gull chevron NE 1555, 15 Redwing (birdman_euston) *Staines Moor: 24 Common Snipe, 2 Red Kite (display flying), 7 Reed Bunting, 5 Skylark, Stonechat, Buzzard, 2 Jay (Thomas Gibson) *Staines Reservoir: Great Northern Diver (S Basin), Scaup, Slavonian Grebe, 3 Little Grebe, 4+ Great Crested Grebe (pr displaying), Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Gadwall, Skylark over (Roger Dewey). *Stoke Newington Res: Kingfisher 1300h, Sparrowhawk and 10 Redwings pm on West R (Pete Mantle) *Sutcliffe Park: 2 Common Snipe, Great Spotted Woodpecker (Conrad Ellam); Little Grebe, 2 Water Rail, Blackcap (P Kite) *Tyttenhanger GPs: Stonechat, 7 Tree Sparrow, 2 Chiffchaff (Steve Blake). *Vicarage Farm: Jack Snipe, 200+ Redwing (Robert Callf). *Wanstead Flats: 13 Linnet, 4 Lesser Redpoll, 4-5 Reed Bunting, 8 Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 5 Fieldfare, 4 Redwing, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 20 Tufted Duck, Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Goose, 3 Little Grebe, 3 Blackcap (1 singing Belgrave Rd & pr off Capel Rd), 4 Stock Dove (Nick Croft/Bob Vaughan/Rose Stephens). *Woodford GC: Little Egret (Daniel Whitelegg). *Worcester Park: Green Sandpiper still on Green Lane floods (Bob Smith). *Wraysbury GPs: 11 Goldeneye, Pochard, 3 Great Crested Grebe (Thomas Gibson) 'Monday 3rd March 2014' *Brookmill Park: 2 Kingfisher, Stock Dove, Song Thrush, 10 Redwing, Goldcrest, House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam). *City of London: Grey Wagtail, Magpie with nesting material (Alan Lewis) *Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, 3 Corn Bunting, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Curlew, 2 Rock Pipit, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, 52 Fieldfare, 70 Redshank, c250 Dunlin (Kev Jarvis). *Dagenham Chase: Sand Martin yr-1st (Birdguides/RBA/Twitter) *Ealing: Blackcap singing in neighbours garden am - also heard briefly yesterday (Bill Haines). *Enfield Lock: singing Grey Wagtail on lock house roof (Martin Shepherd). *Greenwich Peninsula: Green Woodpecker, 4 Redwing, 2 Meadow Pipit (Richard Green) *Grovelands Park: female''' Smew''' very approachable - of suspect origin, 12 Mandarin Duck 7m 5f, 20 Tufted Duck 14m 6f, 3 Pochard 2m f, 2 Great Crested Grebe pr displaying & nest-building (Robert Callf); Smew also coming to bread as per Alexandra Palace bird (observer?). *Hampstead Heath: Chiffchaff Pryors Field (Klemens Felder) *High Barnet: Red Kite circling to gain height then gliding off high SW at 12.15 (Roy Beddard) *Horton: 6 Little Egret (C.Lamsdell) *London Wetland Centre: Green Sandpiper, Redshank, 230 Black-headed Gull (WWT website); 4 Snipe island on main lake from Observatory (Catherine Beazley) *Mayflower Park wetlands: 2 Reed Bunting pr, Water Rail h (Simon Osborn). *Redbridge Lakes: 4 Snipe, 2 Reed Buntings pr, 2 Tufted Ducks pr (unusual round here), Jay, Long-tailed Tit (Alan Hobson). *Rickmansworth: 2 Raven SE calling & 'tumbling' at 10.01 (Andrew Moon). Was that an addition to your London list Andrew? Gav Haig thought you might not have had one. Francis *Sewardstone Marsh: singing Reed Bunting on Patty Pool Mead (Martin Shepherd). *Wandsworth Common Station: Redwing singing at 7am in poplar; in nearby garden singing Blackcap, 2 Goldcrest pr (Neil Anderson) *Wanstead Flats: 10 Linnet, 6 Lesser Redpoll, 15 Goldfinch, 2 Reed Bunting, 8 Skylark, 6 Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, 3 Sparrowhawk, 4 Stock Dove, 30 Tufted Duck, 4 Little Grebe, 3 Heron W (Nick Croft). 'Sunday 2nd March 2014' *Alexandra Park: Blackcap male singing in gardens from The Grove, also 2 Mute Swan including new 1st summer with adult, 17 Shoveler (Bob Watts). *Brent Reservoir: c180 Tufted Duck, 10 Pochard, Lapwing, 16 Common Snipe, 2 Water Rail (Roy Beddard). *Brookmill Park: Mandarin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam) *Crayford Marshes: Spotted Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Corn Bunting, 2 Curlew, 4 Oystercatcher, 2 Rock Pipit, 4 Cetti's Warbler, Green Sandpiper (Kev Jarvis) *Crews Hill: 2 Yellowhammer in field next to station, c20 Redwing, 6 Fieldfare (Frank Nugent). *Crossness: 2 Yellow-legged Gull ad & 2cy, 15 Wigeon, 200+ Teal, Chiffchaff (Richard Bonser) *Grovelands Park: female Smew (maybe the one that was in Alexandra Park last month) (James Palmer) *London Wetland Centre: Shelduck, 2 Pintail, 3 Mandarin, Bittern, 4 Peregrine 2pr - local pr plus pr circling to NW - all in air together - no aggression, Redshank, 5 Snipe, 2 Caspian Gull both 1st winter, Great Black-backed Gull the local pr display-flying very high over site, Blackcap the wintering bird, 4 Lesser Redpoll, Brambling (R. Kaye). *Mayflower Park wetlands: Kingfisher 4pm (Simon Osborn). *Middlesex Filter Beds: Firecrest near River Lea in wooded bed c50 yds downriver of end of cross-path at 13.30 (Alastair Dent). *Oakwood Park: Nuthatch, 4 Siskin (James Palmer). *Regent's Park: Kingfisher flew across QM Gdns lake 0830 yr-1st (Regent's Pk Birds blog) *Stanwell Moor: 3 Jack Snipe, 2 Shelduck (C. Lamsdell). *Ten Acre Wood area: 4 Pheasant, 2 Little Egret (1 feeding in horse field), 3 Buzzard, 2 Kestrel pr (male doing active aerial displays before joining female where he entered tree cavity), 5 Sparrowhawk (female appeared low over edge Gutteridge Wd then 2 males came low towards her quickly followed by another 2), 22 Lapwing (flock 10 & 12), Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 7 Stock Dove, Kingfisher, 2 singing Skylark, f Stonechat, c55 Redwing, c25 Fieldfare, 2 Rook, 4 Reed Bunting (2 singing), 2m Bullfinch, 25+ Linnet (flock 5 by wood/20+ horse field) (Neil Anderson/G. Westley). *Tooting Common: 27 Redwing, 3 Jackdaw, 3 Nuthatch, 2 Shoveler, 2 Egyptian Goose pr with goslings (Nick Rutter). *Victoria Rec Grd: ad Mediterranean Gull (in almost full breeding plumage but with white forehead), 28 Black-headed Gull, Common Gull - pm (Bob Husband). TQ266964 *Wanstead Flats: 2 Peregrine Falcon pr, f Kestrel, 5 Linnet, Reed Bunting, 5+ Skylark, 3 Meadow Pipit, 2 Pied Wagtail, 4 Redwing, 8 Shoveler, m Teal, Little Grebe, 100+ Starling (on police scrape) (Nick Croft). *Wanstead Park: 2 Goldcrest, Grey Wagtail, 6 Gadwall, Shoveler, 20+ Tufted Duck, Kingfisher, Siskin, 2 Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel (Nick Croft). *Wraysbury GPs: 2 Goosander, Woodcock, 5 Shoveler, 5 Common Snipe, 11 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Green Woodpecker, 2 Treecreeper, 2 Buzzard, 5 Heron (2 on nest), 45+ Fieldfare, 9 Redwing, Kestrel (Thomas Gibson). 'Saturday 1st March 2014' *Alexandra Park: female Common Teal Wood Green Res (Bob Watts). *Black Park: Brambling, Redpoll, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite and Buzzard over, Mistle Thrush, Goldcrest, Nuthatches, Great Crested Grebe, 3 Chaffinches (Sue Giddens) *Brent Reservoir: 16 Snipe, Water Rail seen, Kingfisher, later 17 Redwing flew to treetop Cycle Track (Brent Birders). *Brookmill Park: Peregrine, 6 Redwing (Conrad Ellam) *Crayford Marshes: Yellow-legged Gull 2nd-winter, Spotted Redshank, 6 Corn Bunting, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, 4 Oystercatcher, 3 Curlew, Rock Pipit, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Stonechat (Kev Jarvis) *Cricklewood NW2 (Cricklewood Broadway): Grey Wagtail male flying around Beacon Bingo rooftop (Andrew Verrall). *Hampstead Heath: 3 Siskin and 3 Lesser Redpoll feeding in alders at Sanctuary Pond am, c30 Redwing, Tawny Owl calling at 10:30am near 'Bird Bridge' (Frank Nugent) *High Barnet: Tawny Owl calling at midnight near Barnet Hospital bus stop (Geoff Crabtree) *Leyton, Jubilee Park: (prob m) Black Redstart on top of tallest tree on east side of park at 1715 - patch year tick but more importantly a house tick (Paul Whiteman) *London Wetland Centre: 4 Cetti's Warbler, Bittern N shore main lake, 2 Pintail m f, Redshank, 6 Common Snipe, 3 Buzzard circling c2pm NE of site somewhere over Ch X Hospital (see below), 6 Redpoll, Brambling, Peregrine (Martin Honey) *Margravine Cemetery: Buzzard c2pm, chased off N by m Peregrine (Nathalie Mahieu). *Rainham Marshes RSPB: f Marsh Harrier, Common Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, 3 Kestrel, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 30 Pintail, 100 Golden Plover, 4 Ringed Plover, 100+ Dunlin, 4 Oystercatcher, 100+ Redshank, 14 Curlew, 10+ Little Egret, 4 sharming Water Rail, 2 Chiffchaff, 10+ singing Cetti's Warbler, 6 Rock Pipit, Water Pipit, Kingfisher (RSPB); f Bearded Tit from boardwalk, m Stonechat (Neville Smith). *Regent's Park: juv Peregrine low S hunting over lake 0815, Woodcock, 9 Redwing, 27 Goldfinch (birdman_euston) *Richmond Park: 2 singing Skylark on Bog (H.Bradshaw); Skylark singing Lawn Field (P.Burrowes-Smith); 18 Meadow Pipit on Lawn Field, Little Owl hooting near Pen Ponds (J.Wilczur); Kingfisher on brook, 6 Redwing Holly Lodge (Neil Anderson/K. Bull); Buzzard low over Isabella plantation 10.30am - heavily mobbed, 2 Stonechat north of Lower Pen Pond (Steve Woolfenden) *Staines Moor: Short-eared Owl, 3 Little Egret, 4+ Water Pipit - 1pm (Catherine Beazley & Simon Nicholls) *Staines Reservoir: Scaup, Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Great Northern Diver, 2 Golden Plover, 2 Redshank, 3 Lapwing, 2 Shelduck - 4pm (Catherine Beazley & Simon Nicholls with help from other birder; thank you) *Stockers Lake: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker heard drumming & then seen n/e corner 5.30pm (Tina Stafford). *Streatham Hill: High Rd - Grey Wagtail on flat roof of block of flats (A La Pietra) *Swanley Park: Cormorant, Coot, 25 Redwing, 4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 3 Stock Dove (Andy Meaton) *Trent Park: Firecrest in holly on ride to obelisk, 5 Treecreeper, 4 Nuthatch, 3 Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sparrowhawk flew over (Stephen Witherford) *Uxbridge UB8 (Trumpers Way): Sparrowhawk soaring over (Roger Dewey) *Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood - 7 Goldeneye (2 drakes- ad & imm), 2 Teal pr, m Green Woodpecker; High Maynard- 4 Goosander (3 drakes courting f), 4 Shelduck, c10 Teal (Lol Bodini); south of Ferry Lane- Cetti's Warbler, 2 Chiffchaffs, Water Rail, 9 Goldeneye, 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher (Joe Dickens). *Wanstead Flats: 10 Skylark, 4 Meadow Pipit, 20 Linnet (Tim Harris, Kathy Hartnett) 'Archived News' LONDON BIRDING NEWS FROM ALMOST EVERY PREVIOUS MONTH SINCE JULY 2002 {C}﻿﻿